


The Sacrifices We Make

by ironstrangepls



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Universe, Falling In Love, M/M, One-Sided Relationship, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 16:19:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14719485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironstrangepls/pseuds/ironstrangepls
Summary: Doctor Steven Strange saw 14,000,605 endings to the conflict with Thanos, but only one where they won. He had told himself and to Tony that he would not hesitate to let him or the boy die if it meant protecting the Time Stone.But after seeing Tony Stark infinitely giving up his life for Stephen and others, he might have to have a change of heart.





	The Sacrifices We Make

**Author's Note:**

> hi its very late and im tired im sorry if its bad

Tony Stark and Stephen Strange did not get along. Each thought the other was egotistical, exasperating, snarky, and rude. Stephen disliked the quick whips that Tony threw at him when arguing - he always had something to respond with. Sarcastic, snarky, immature, Stephen could not stand it. He was in utter disbelief at how well-liked he was with the media - cameras always in his face, girls flirting, magazine covers - he was admired. Stephen was not able to see why. Up close, this man was a, well, douchebag. Now, he was stuck with him on a planet, waiting for Thanos’ arrival. He had warned the billionaire before, making it clear that the time stone is more important than Stark or the boy’s survival. 

Stephen glanced over to look at Tony. He was starting to huddle with the others, trying to figure out some sort of plan for when Thanos arrives. Stephen could have joined them, but decided that he had enough of Tony Stark’s sarcastic attitude. He sat down and decided to explore the possible endings of this conflict. 

The first one he explored, it was gruesome. They did not stand a chance. The Guardians were crushed immediately by falling rocks. He saw Tony jump in front of Peter, taking a blast straight to his chest. Peter dropped to his knees, a muffled “Mr. Stark?” escaped his lips as his tear-stained face shudders at the sight of a lifeless Tony Stark. Peter looked up, and his pupils widened to find a blast coming towards him. He quickly put his arm in front of his face but it consumed him whole. Stephen flinched, closing his eyes tight, and opened them slowly, only to see Peter laying a few feet away from Tony, pale and lifeless. 

“The stone, or your life,” a deep voice called to him.

Stephen bumped his fists together and took a fighting stance: “Try somewhere else. This stone is never leaving my side.”

“You want to end up like your friends over here?”

“They are not my frie-”

It went black, and Stephen was once again adrift. He shivered slightly, realizing that they had lost. His curiosity, to no avail, coerced him into viewing more endings, each one more gruesome than the next. He took a strong notice to Tony Stark in every ending. He always ended up sacrificing himself for someone else. Jumped in front of Peter, the bug girl, the big guy, the Missouri man, and even Stephen himself. Most of the endings, it was sacrificing himself for Stephen. 

Stephen, with every tragedy, started becoming intrigued about the man. This arrogant, selfish man, who seemed so hard on the outside, actually had a selfless manner. Every pain he felt as he died led to another world in which Tony tried to protect him. He felt a heat rise from his body with every blow that Tony took. Stephen felt his heart rate pulsating to an unusual degree. He began to see Tony in a different light, and every time the man died he felt more tears rising. In one ending he even screamed after Tony, once again, dove in front of Stephen. Millions of endings, and it was breaking his heart. 

He had come to realize that the Tony he thought he knew was incorrect. Tony was not selfish. His glowing heart, well, glowed. He did not hesitate once when he jumped or dove or pushed. Stephen, who had been nothing but cruel and cold towards the man, was always put first before the man himself, something Steven had told Tony that he himself would never do. Every death pushed him more to the edge. He found his heart racing more, and on the 14,000,604th ending, Tony died once more in his arms. Stephen felt tears streaming down his face, as he cried out that he was sorry. 

As Stephen watched this version of himself, tears also streamed down his face. 14 million deaths, he could not handle it anymore. His heart broke, ached, he cried, he screamed. 

And then he realized that he had fallen in love.

A new ending appeared, this one already remarkably different from the past. The guardians were alive, but Tony, stabbed in the chest, after trying to fight Thanos, had fallen to the ground. Stephen asked him to spare Tony’s life, and he would give Thanos the stone. Shocked at his own words, he sat in bewilderment as that this version of him gave the stone to Thanos. 

Fast forward.

He fades away.

Fast forward.

They won.

“Hey. You’re alright. You’re here.”

“I am?”

Stephen felt Tony’s hands on him, and instantly relaxed into them. He remembered what he saw, and looked into Tony’s soft, brown eyes as he said that there was only one way they could win. Stephen knew what he had to do. He had to give up the stone - his life - for Tony Stark. Just two hours ago, he would not have dreamed of it.

He saw the ending, the end game, the winning solution.

He just needed to fall in love to see it.


End file.
